Immunoassays take advantage of the specific binding abilities of antibodies to be widely used in selective and sensitive measurement of small and large molecular analytes in complex samples. The driving force behind developing new immunological assays is the constant need for simpler, more rapid, and less expensive ways to analyze the components of complex sample mixtures. Current uses of immunoassays include therapeutic drug monitoring, screening for disease or infection with molecular markers, screening for toxic substances and illicit drugs, and monitoring for environmental contaminants.
Some assays have made use of laminar flow and diffusion profiles of analytes complexed with binding particles (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,213 and U.S. Patent Application 2006/0166375, published Jul. 26, 2006). Such assays, however, are limited by their inability to provide for detection of multiple analytes in a single sample and in a single fluidic channel.
There remains a need for a device that allows for simultaneous performance of dozens of immunoassays in a minimum of time using a minimum of sample volume and in a minimal space. The invention described herein meets these needs and more through the use of hydrodynamic addressing and parallel flow.